The response to the murder of a teenager should be kind to the victim – respecting her name, her gender, and the impact on those that knew and loved her. That is not what has happened for Brianna Ghey over the last 48 hours. As the LGBT+ anti-abuse charity, we have to say: enough is enough. Brianna deserved dignity and respect in life, and she deserves it now.

The police have today confirmed that they are considering all lines of enquiry, including whether Brianna’s murder could have been a hate crime. We urge the police to prioritise establishing the facts around this case and the motivation of the perpetrators. Our community, particularly our trans and non-binary siblings, already feel under attack from disproportionate levels of transphobic media and public narratives. This case is having and will continue to have an impact on how safe we feel.

For anyone in our community who is affected by this case, our National LGBT+ Abuse and Violence Helpline is open on 0800 999 5428, help@galop.org.uk or on webchat at galop.org.uk.

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